Baseball glove



H. B. LATINA BASEBALL GLOVE Feb. 24, 1953 Filed Dec. 22, 1950 Patented Feb. 24, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BASEBALL GLOVE Harry B. Latina, East St. Louis, 111., assignor to Rawlings Manufacturing Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application December 22, 1950, Serial No. 202,320

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in baseball gloves, particularly with respect to the provision of lacing means for securing a web member in a glove.

An object of the present invention is to provide a baseball glove with a Web and securing lacing therefor which will result in a firm laced engagement in the glove to maintain the web and adjacent glove portion in proper relation to form a ball receiving pocket.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a laced web arrangement for a glove, wherein the lacing is adapted to secure the web in proper position without the use of metallic reinforcement eyelets, thereby removing a source of injury to players caused by loose eyelets, and further eliminating the concentration of strain at the margins of the glove fingers which results in tearing the leather at those points.

A still further object of the present invention resides in the provision of plain apertures or holes formed in the glove and arranged to receive the web securing lacing, whereby stresses and strains transmitted thereto are distributed into the glove by the lacing so that metallic or other reinforcement will not be necessary for strengthening the holes in the glove, and whereby the tearing of the glove leather is prevented.

The invention comprises a baseball glove having a shell construction of the usual type to provide projecting padded finger sections spaced apart to form a ball receiving pocket. a web member disposed between a pair of spaced padded sections to constitute the back stop for the ball-receiving pocket, and lacing means securing the web to the padded finger sections and arranged with looped portions anchored in the respective finger sections to secure the web in its intended position as a pocket backstop.

The invention also includes the parts, and combination of parts and arrangements hereinafter more particularly described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a baseball glove constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a greatly enlarged rear elevational view of the glove shown in Fig. 1, wherein there is particularly shown a preferred assembly of Web and lacing means; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the back portion of a baseball glove similar to that of Fig. 2, wherein a modified lacing arrangement is shown.

With reference to the drawing, the present baseball glove comprises a shell I 0 having the usual front and rear faces, and being provided with projecting padded finger sections I I, I2, I3 and I4. In Fig. 1, I have indicated the spaced projecting padded finger and thumb sections I3 and I4 respectively, as defining therebetween a ball receiving pocket portion I5. This pocket is defined in part by the sections I3 and I4, and

in further part by a web section I6 acting as a backstop.

The web section I6 comprises a suitable leather facing piece I! which is folded back on its body portion at its opposite edges to provide flaps I8 and I9. The flaps are respectively stitched along their free edges to the face portion II, thereby forming tunnel-like openings 20 and 20, respectively, which open at the opposite sides of the web I6. Between the spaced flaps I8 and I9, an auxiliary backing section 2I is secured by the usual stitching to form inner tunnel-like openings 22 and. 23. The tunnel opening 22 is located adjacent the previously described opening 20 and the opening 23 is positioned adjacent the opening 20'. In the construction shown in connection with Fig. 2, the auxiliary web piece 2| is further provided with apertures 24 and 25 communicating with the tunnel-like opening 22, apertures 26 and 21 communicating with the tunnel-like opening 23, and a group of spaced apertures 28, 29, 30 and 3| arranged between but not communicating with the openings 22 and 23. The web flap I9 intermediate the ends thereof is provided with slits or apertures 32 and 33.

The spaced projecting padded sections I3 and. I4 of the baseball glove I0 are provided with a. spaced arrangement of plain openings or apertures arranged across the back face thereof. A preferred arrangement includes apertures 34 and 35 adjacent the inner marginal portion of the projection I3 (near the outer end or tip thereof), an intermediate aperture 36 and outwardly spaced, remotely located apertures 31 and 38. A similarly arranged inner series of plain openings or apertures for the padded section I3 may be seen at 40, 4|, 42, 43 and 44. In a similar manner, the opposite padded section I4 is provided with two groups or series of openings arranged in the back face thereof. The outer group is indicated at 45, 46, 47, 48 and 49. The inner group of apertures or openings may be seen at 5 I, 52, 53, 5-4 and 55. The baseball glove is further provided in the crotch tab or flap 5'6 with a group of apertures 51, 58, 59 and 60.

The preferred arrangement for securing the, web section I6 in cooperative relation between the glove finger sections I3 and I4 is shown in connection with Fig. 2, wherein a continuous or one-piece lacing means 6| is shown in its laced position. It can be seen that the lacing means 6| has an end portion 52 which passes through the slit 32 and into and through the tunnel-like opening 20 where it enters aperture M in projection I3. From this aperture, the lacing is brought outwardly at aperture 42, laced into aperture 43 and outwardly at aperture 44, where it is again returned through aperture 42 to aperture 40 for laced engagement in the tunnel-like opening 23. The portion of the lacing which engages apertures 43 and 44 forms a looped portion 63 which securely anchors the adjacent portion of the web section I6 and effectively distributes stresses produced on catching a ball in the pocket I5 of the glove throughout a considerable area of the projection I3. This lacing arrangement also reduces the highly concentrated stress. in the margin of the finger, which heretofore resulted in tearing of the finger at this point. The lacing continues outwardly at opening 26 inthe central back area of the web It where it is crossed through openings 3| and 29 to the opening 25 in the tunnel 22 vfor laced engagement, as shown, in the group of openings 45 through 49 located at the outer tip portion of the projection I4. At this outer portion of the projection I4 an anchor lcop 64 is thereby formed.

The lacing is then brought out of opening 45 and passed through the outer tunnel 20 to the opposite side of the web I5 where it is similarly laced into the aperture group 34 to 38 inclusive. An additional looped portion 65 is thereby formed for anchoring the adjacent web I6 into the finger I3. From the last described group of openings, the lacing extends through the tunnel 22 to aperture 24, where it is crossed over at apertures 30 and 28 to the opening 2? in the tunnel 23. From this opening, the lacing extends through tunnel 23 and enters opening 5! in the padded projection I4. It is again similarly laced through the group of openings 5I through 55 inclusive, thereby forming a looped portion 66. The end section 6? of'the lacing is brought out of opening 52, laced through the tunnel 20' and through the'slit 33 therein for laced engagement in the apertures 58 andii formed in the crotch flap 56. The opposite ends of the lacing 52 and 61 are anchored in openings 59 and 53 and the free ends are knotted at 53.

Referring now to Fig. 3, there is disclosed a modified arrangement of laced assembly of the web I I6, this latterweb beingqdesignated by adding the prefix numeral. In the modified arrangement a first lacing means i is utilized to anchor the outer portion of the web H in a manner similar to that described in connection with Fig. 2, the difference being that openings 24 and 25 in the auxiliary part 2| of the-Web I6 of Fig. 2 are, in Fig. 3, moved closertogether in the similar part 2 I as at 24' and 25 where the lacing I0 may be knotted at II. The lacing it extends into the glove projecting sections I3 and I4 where it forms, respectively, looped portions i2 and i3. The same reference numerals have been used to designate the arrangement of openings or apertures in the glove sections I3 and I4 of Fig. 3, as were used in Fig. 2, since it is obvious that these openings are the same. An additional lacing I4 is provided for securing the inner marginal portion of the web I I6. In effecting the modified assembly, web I I6 is provided with a modified auxiliary backing section 2I', which is formed with the previously described pair of openings 24 and 25'. All of the remaining openings described in connection with Fig. 2 and formed in the auxiliary web piece 2i thereof, are not required in connection with the arrangement shown in Fig. 3. Accordingly the lacing I4 extends into the lower tunnel 25 at the spaced slits 32 and 33. From the opposite ends of this tunnel 20 the lacing is anchored in the adjacent padded sections I3 and I4 by means of the looped portions I5 and I6, and from these looped portions the lacing extends through the adjacent tunnel 23. The free ends of the lacing I4 are suitably knotted at 11 in the crotch forming flap 56, after being laced into the openings 51, 58, 59 and 60.

It is now clear in what manner I am able to secure a back stop forming web member in a baseball glove by means of a lacing which is provided with looped portions anchored in spaced padded sections of the baseball glove, without resort to eyelets or other metallic reinforcing elements usually employed in connection with openings formed in baseball gloves. The arrangement of looped portions ofthe lacing, extending backwardly or remote from the margins of the projections I3 and I4 which are adjacent the ball receiving pocket, distributes stresses and pull exerted on the lacing into the shell of the glove at a plurality of zones. This prevents tearing of the glove and tends to reduce distortion or twisting of the padded sections. The hereinabove described lacing arrangement thereby tends to maintain the glove sections in proper alignment to increase the useful life of the glove and improve the ability of the glove to retain its desired shape or form.

In the preferred. arrangement of lacing means described in connection with Fig. 2, the crossed lacings at the back of the web It between the group of apertures 24 through 2? and apertures 29 through 3i not only stifiens the center portion of the web I5, but further enables rapid and accurate tension adjustment of the lacing to control. the lateral spacing of. the padded sections I3 and I3. ihe securement of the free ends 62 and iii of the lacing GI in the crotch reinforcement flap 55 also enables rapid adjustment of the tension of the lacing between the looped portions 53 and 55 and furthermore anchors the lower margin of the web I6 between the spaced padded sections I3 and I4.

The modified lacing arrangement of Fig. 3 cmbodies all of the improvements and advantageous features of the lacing arrangement of Fig. 2, and further embodies the alternate advantage of a lacing arrangement utilizing shorter lengthlacing means without material sacrifice of strength or security of the web.

Having now described certain preferred characteristics which my invention may have, I wish it to be understood that the same is not to be taken as limiting the invention except as hereinafter required by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A baseball glove comprising a shell having a thumb-section and a finger section spaced therefrom, said thumb and finger sections having apertures along their adjacent margins and other apertures spaced from the first mentioned apertures across the rear of said thumb and finger sections, backstop web means substantially filling the space between said thumb and finger sections to form a ball receiving pocket therevbetween, said web means having lacing tunnels directed across the width thereof with open ends adjacent the first mentioned apertures in said thumb and finger sections, and lacing means running through said lacing tunnels and laced through said first mentioned apertures and looped through said other apertures to secure said web means in the glove.

2. A baseball glove as defined in claim 1, wherein certain of said lacing tunnels are formed with spaced openings between the ends thereof at the back of said web means to permit said lacing means to be brought out of said tunnels at the back of said web means to expose the same for adjusting the position of said web means.

3. A baseball glove as defined in claim 1, wherein an adjacent pair of said lacing tunnels is formed with openings at the back of said web mean to permit bringing said lacing means out of said tunnels and crossing the same between said pair of tunnels, said crossing lacing means permitting adjustment of said lacing means in said web means and in said finger and thumb sections 4. A baseball glove comprising a shell having a thumb section and a finger section in spaced relation, said thumb and finger sections having apertures therein spaced along the adjacent margins of the said sections and a plurality of aper tures located in groups in the thumb and finger sections remote from said first mentioned marginal apertures, backstop web means adjustably located in the space between said thumb and finger sections to form a ball receiving pocket with said shell and spaced sections, said web means being formed. with tunnels extending from side to side and opening adjacent said first mentioned marginal apertures, and lacing means for adjusting said web means running through said tunnels and into said first mentioned marginal apertures, said lacing means being laced in a looped relation to said plurality of groups of remote apertures.

5. The baseball love as defined in claim 4, wherein said groups of apertures include at least three apertures in each group, and said lacing means having portions laced in crossed relation in one of said ape tures in each group and looped through the other apertures of the group, said crossed lacing portions holding the lacing means in adjustment.

6. The baseball glove as defined in claim 4, wherein an adjacent pair of said web means lacing tunnels is formed with openings at the back of said web means to permit bringing said lacing means out of said tunnels and crossing the same between said pair of tunnels, said crossing lacing holding the adjustment of said lacing relative to said web means.

HARRY B. LATINA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,624,695 Turner Apr. 12, 1927 1,964,769 Rainey July 3, 1934 2,255,726 Turner Sept. 9, 1941 

